16 Genius Drugstore Makeup Dupes of luxury brands 2024
I only recommend products I love and I think you will, too. If you click on links I provide, I may receive a little compensation. Learn more.
These Drugstore makeup dupes are so damn close to the real deals, that you would never want to buy the expensive versions.
The beauty world and makeup bags are filled with products people just can’t stop raving about. But, unfortunately, most of those products are high-end luxurious gems that ordinary people cannot even think of buying without burning their pockets.
But thanks to some godsend drugstore brands that are making it possible to get the best performance and application of a makeup product without those heavy price tags.
And that is? Drugstore makeup dupes!
For the love of affordability, makeup dupes or dupes, in general, have been my go-to’s because I just cannot fathom enough courage to buy the exact same experience and quality for the prices I could buy three different makeup products. That’s just who I am.
what are makeup dupes?
But before that, you might be thinking, what exactly are makeup dupes, and are they even legal? So.
Makeup dupes are the products produced by legit brands that are very similar to another product in terms of quality, finish, texture, or shade (shades). These are usually cheaper than their expensive counterparts.
And, they are 100% legal since they are created by brands we have all known and loved for years. Makeup dupes happen by coincidence most of the time. But what we have to do with that? We just have to grab the cheaper versions and live our life happily ever after!
16 best Drugstore makeup dupes
1. Milk makeup hydro grip primer & E.L.F Jelly pop dew primer
Milk makeup has some amazing primers to quench all sorts of skin issues. But this award-winning Hydro grip primer from milk makeup proved what it said when I used it for the first time. Hydro Grip is a silicone and oil-free primer that works wonders for people with normal to dry skin (which I am in winters btw) and gives this hydrating, skin-smoothening effect to the skin.
No doubt it feels sticky and tacky when applied, but I feel like the best primers are the ones that feel like that so that makeup actually adheres to the base. But despite that, the primer took seconds to get absorbed into the skin. And made my makeup last for more than 9 hours (without budging at all). Plus, it’s oil-free, so bye-bye pimples!
But wait, e.l.f jelly pop primer does the exact same things! Yes, it’s the closest Milk Hydro grip primer dupe. Have all these healthy ingredients, smells like watermelons, have the same thick, tacky consistency which lets the foundation stay longer, is cruelty-free, and the best part? It is just $10! All those $30 (hydro grip’s price) things in one-third of the price.
The perfect makeup dupes indeed!
2. tatcha the silk canvas primer & E.L.F poreless putty primer
If you are looking to spend your money on one of the best luxury makeup? Tatcha silk canvas primer is the one you wanna buy. It is made up of pressed silk that smoothens skin and makes makeup last longer while keeping it out of the skin layer, helping to prevent clogged pores and breakouts, which is a dream for oily to combination skin types. So on no makeup days, you can just use this and feel confident. And it’s no cheating!
But if you are looking for a spot-on Tatcha silk primer dupe, then you can pick e.l.f. poreless putty primer blindly. For just $8, this baby will blur your large pores just fine, and the blam texture matches that of Tatcha primer. Of course, you have to use it in light, thin layers, or you may mess up your foundation. But considering the price difference, I am willing to work with this dupe makeup!
3. Tarte shape tape concealer & E.L.F. camo concealer
Blogger’s and influencer’s favorite, Tarte shape tape concealer is one of the most hyped and most sold concealers, per the Tarte website. After all, its full coverage and creamy texture, which can also be used as a contour/highlight, is tough competition for the industry to beat. In addition, it won’t flake or crease for like 10 hours and provides a little brightness to the skin, creating a naturally lifted appearance.
And even though many shape tape concealers are being talked about in the market, I believe e.l.f. camo concealer just hit the right spot. Coverage, texture, and packaging-wise, they both are very, very similar. With the full coverage, creamy texture that dries up to be matte, and glass tube with a large doe applicator, I say you need to try this dupe makeup just for $6 now.
4. Giorgio Armani luminous silk foundation & Loreal Paris true match Lumi health foundation
From the award-winning list of makeup to Kim K’s bag, Giorgio Armani’s silk foundation is truly a class of its own. This oil-free foundation provides a buildable, medium coverage and a luminous, glowy-skin finish for a flawless natural makeup look. Along with that, it illuminates the skin and blurs out the imperfections, so you feel like you have put $64 to use (wink, no offense).
If spending $64 on the Armani foundation is out of your budget, then L’Oreal true match foundation is a bargain makeup dupe. The holy grail for normal to dry skin types as it contains 40% pure water to quench your skin’s hydration all day. True Match has a sheer, buildable coverage that is more on a dewy, glowy side than the Armani foundation. And can last up to 7-8 hours for an unbelievable price.
I absolutely love this set of makeup dupes!
5. charlotte tilbury airbrush finish powder & flower beauty light illusion powder
An ultra-fine Charlotte tilbury airbrush finish setting powder is known for blurring imperfections and smoothening out the complexion in minutes. It is a finely milled medium coverage powder that you can even use on bare skin and won’t regret. Though the price tag is huge, if you reallllllllyyyyy wanna invest, you will absolutely love it.
For the ones who cannot fathom much into it, Flower beauty’s light illusion powder is a really tough competition of this mighty powder. Has the same medium buildable coverage at a much affordable price.
6. NARS blush/bronzer & E.L.F aqua beauty blush and bronzer
For the love of travel-friendly and convenient makeup, NARS blush/bronzer duo is the perfect, perfect combination of the infamous NARS Orgasm blush and Laguna bronzer. It has a sheer, buildable coverage with a soft, shimmery finish that looks stunning on most complexions.
And e.l.f. very beautifully, I wanna say copy, but I’ll say duped it with their e.l.f aqua beauty blush and bronzer. It’s just a tad bit more pigmented than NARS’s but also has more glitter and sheen to it. That means you cannot use the bronzer as a contour here. But hello, hello, for the price difference of $20, I’ll accept that open-heartedly.
7. Tarte amazonian clay blush & flower beauty flower pots blush
Super-soft and silky, Tarte Amazonian clay blushes have been in the limelight for their sheer but buildable coverage that works best for people who love blushes and wants them to stay put all day. With more than 6K glowing reviews on Sephora, now you know what blush to pick when your salary comes in!
But if it’s mid-month and you wanna save some cash, blindly go for Flower beauty flower pots blush or even Milani Rose powder blush (per the hype). Although both may look the same due to exceedingly similar packaging and design, Flower beauty blushes are silkier and smoother than the Milani ones (according to me) and feel like the closest dupe of Tarte blushes in terms of texture, sheer and buildable coverage.
But both of them are equally good on an individual level and retails for $10 flat!
8. IT cosmetics brow power pencil & Maybelline brow ultra pencil
This fan-favorite IT cosmetics Brow Power Micro Universal Defining Eyebrow Pencil has a Micro-fine oval pencil tip that mimics the look of real hair to achieve a microblade effect effortlessly. Once used, the formula doesn’t budge, which obviously is good for those who want to keep their naturally beautiful eyebrows intact all day long.
But a major downside is that it only has one shade which, according to them, can be used for every hair color (even the gay ones!) considering the pressure used to create strokes. This sounds like magic to me, but practically, you have to give it time and focus to get the same brow color every time.
But if you like how precise the IT cosmetics brow pencil is, you should definitely try Maybelline Brow Ultra Slim Defining Eyebrow Pencil. It has an ultra-slim 1.5mm precision tip to get ultra-precise, hair-like strokes for the most natural-looking eyebrows ever. Also, It has a smooth break-resistant formula and five shades in total, which makes me love Maybelline more than ever.
In my opinion, these are great drugstore makeup dupes, but the cheaper version is better than, the higher one.
9. urban decay 24/7 glide on pencil & Rimmel scandaleyes waterproof kohl
If you haven’t tried the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-on eye pencil until now, you definitely have missed one of the best long-lasting, intense color eyeliner that just won’t budge even in water. It is super-creamy and comes in like crazy 34 colors. I can talk all day about this.
But, if you don’t want to spend $20 buck on just an eyeliner, I urge you to try Rimmel’s Scandaleyes Waterproof Gel Eye Liner Pencil. It has an extra smooth & creamy formula that glides on as easily as UD’s pencil, and the color is very intense, just like how you get with gel eyeliners. For just $5, you cannot find a deal and product better than this one.
10. Anastasia Beverly Hills modern renaissance & wet n wild rose in the air
If there is one eyeshadow palette that people just can’t stop raving about to this date, it is the ABH Modern Renaissance palette. Talk to me about its beautiful mix of neutrals, berry tones, glitters, and super blendable texture. It’s that one palette you need for every occasion to play with.
But just in case you are looking for a dupe of this one, Wet n Wild has got your back. Its Rose in the air palette retails for friggin’ $5 and has almost all the shades ABH has. Now, remember, this is just the shades dupes because even though the WnW palette is brilliant and its colors are easily blendable and highly pigmented, it is nowhere near the quality ABH’s palette brings to the plate.
But shades, my girl, are spot on. And what more can you expect for $5 in today’s world!
11. Anastasia Beverly Hills soft glam & makeup revolution velvet rose palette
Another best-selling luxe palette at Sephora and Ulta is the ABH Soft glam eyeshadow palette. And why not? It is a lovely day-to-night palette with essential mattes and gorgeous glitters, so you don’t need anything else. They are pigmented as hell, and it’s a piece of cake to blend.
But makeup dupes will make your pocket happy. The Makeup revolution reloaded palette in velvet rose is a surefire dupe of soft glam. Unfortunately, this palette sells for $8 only with nearly the same shades! This again is a shades dupe because, in terms of bendability, these makeup dupes are not spot on. But individually, the Makeup revolution is super rich in texture and highly pigmented, so don’t doubt that.
Said that the Makeup revolution will not disappoint you for the price you pay for it. I honestly love it.
12. Benefit Cosmetics Roller Lash Curling & Lifting Mascara & Maybelline false lashes lift mascara
Roller lashes mascara from Benefit is a lifesaver for people who love naturally curly eyelashes. Its wand is a dream if you want to uplift even the shortest lashes. One coat is more than enough to stay put on your lashes like this for almost the whole day.
Well, well, if you have ever used Maybelline’s lash sensational mascara and never got comments like ‘What is that mascara? Or are your wearing falsies?’ then you have been wearing the mascara wrong. Nevertheless, it’s one of the best drugstore mascaras out there. With its ten layers of bristles, it is sure to uplift and curl your lashes in just two coats.
But if you ask me, Roller lash does give more lift/curl to your lashes, but you can easily get the same effect from lash sensational and an eyelash curler. So $25 on mascara sounds a bit ridiculous.
13. charlotte tilbury lipstick in pillow talk & flower beauty petal pout in spiced petal
One lipstick that is easily the most talked-about shade in the beauty industry is Pillow talk by Charlotte Tilbury. It is a pinkish-brown, universally flattering nude matte lipstick with a long-lasting, buildable, hydrating formula that feels like luxury, honestly.
Luckily, drugstore brands have always been there. Flower Beauty’s Petal Pout Lip Color in Spiced Petal seriously gives Pillow Talk a run for its money. It is richly pigmented, and its hydrating formula feels comfortable af on lips. But since it has a cream finish, it is not as matte as the infamous Pillow talk.
You are bound to love such makeup dupes when you save $26 in a millisecond.
14. Fenty gloss bomb lip luminizer & Revlon super lustrous lip gloss
Fenty Beauty is undoubtedly one of the best things that happened to beauty gurus. And Fenty gloss bomb lip luminizer is among the brand’s top-selling products for a reason. Whether you decide to use it on its own for a natural day look, or apply it on top of any lipstick, this gloss will instantly make your lips look fuller without any tacky, sticky feeling.
Extremely light formula, Revlon’s super lustrous lip gloss in Rosy future is the perfect alternative for Fenty’s gloss bomb. It may look that the shade is not the same at first, but when it is on lips, I bet you cannot even figure out what is what.
And you can’t beat this lip gloss for its price, okay? So stock up!
15. iconic London prep set glow spray & makeup revolution glow illuminating spray
Remember when Iconic London dropped their liquid highlighter drops, and this Iconic prep set glow spray, and people kind of went crazy over them? After all, this is the most glowy setting spray I have ever used. And more than matte, I’m all about the dewy, glowy skin.
It is a gorgeous multi-purpose hydrating mist that feels refreshing and contains light-reflecting properties that will leave your skin with a stunning glow. This can be used to prep the skin before applying makeup (as a primer), set a finished look, or add a radiant shine to a bare face.
But it all stopped when the Makeup revolution did what it does the best. Dropped a kick-ass dupe of this makeup! The Fix and glow fixing spray. It is an illuminating and hydrating setting spray that will set your makeup and keep it intact all day. Just what the Iconic London spray does, but at a fraction of the price!
16. the original beauty blender & real techniques miracle sponge
A revolutionary sponge that changed how we used to do makeup forever! None other than The originals beauty blender. This uncomparable material ensures smooth, streak-free application of foundation, powder, and creams with minimum product wastage. It is just the best, super best!
But for those who cannot afford to pay $20 bucks just for a blender, you must go for Real technique’s miracle complexion sponge. It may not be the exact or even close dupe of the OG blender, but if you want a fantastic streak-free application without a hefty price tag, this is your best bet. Of all the drugstore blenders I have used, this is my favorite. But still doesn’t compare with the original beauty blender in the material, texture, or durability.
Nevertheless, it’s just $6, guys. So pick this if you are here for the finish.
And with these bang-on makeup dupes, we complete the list. So what pair was the most shocking to you? And what makeup dupe can you not wait to buy? I can’t wait to listen!
Related articles to drugstore makeup dupes
- The best ever drugstore makeup dupes to add to basket
- The best ever Foundation dupes to add to the basket
- 10 Best-selling Mac Lipstick dupes with real-time swatches
- Your favorite Nars Makeup dupes to treasure
Great input, thanks for sharing!